By Vincent Papequash

COVID RCMP

Impaired driving check stops raise concerns during pandemic

Dec 9, 2020 | 7:16 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – The Prince George RCMP have been conducting their annual winter impaired driving check stops. Although impaired driving check stops are a benefit to the community, some are raising concerns about the health protocols in place.

Paul Doroshenko, a Vancouver-based lawyer, published a video criticizing the approved screening devices (ASDs) used by the RCMP and police. According to Doroshenko, the Alco-Sensor FST used by officers during impaired driving check stops pose a threat to transmit COVID-19.

Cst. Jennifer Cooper with the Prince George RCMP says “members were wearing full PPE, masks, gloves. We’re working in accordance with the public health order, nothing that we’re doing is against the order, or outside the scope of that order.”

Doroshenko says, “the problem that the particular device has that we use in British Columbia is that it’s got basically a straw, with two ports, two holes on the side. And when you go to blow, you can inhale whatever pathogen is on those ports, or inside that device.”

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Doroshenko proposes an alternative to the Alco-Sensor FST, and claims that another model wouldn’t be as potentially harmful to officers and people being asked to blow into an ASD.

However, the Prince George RCMP would not confirm which model is being used. The RCMP also would not comment on whether other models of ASDs were ever considered during the pandemic.

Cst. Cooper says “the approved screening devices are cleaned between each use, and they’re single-use straws that are changes and discarded between each person that’s being tested roadside.”

Doroshenko acknowledges that the ASDs use disposable straws, but says that it isn’t enough. He points to research that suggests that virus particles can land on the device sensors and might not be cleaned easily.